The present invention relates to controlled release systems which release entrapped molecules over time upon hydration. More particularly, the present invention relates to controlled release vehicles and methods of their manufacture by using a cellulose-based system. Release of the entrapped molecule is carried out by degradation of the cellulose using a release agent such as an enzyme which degrades the cellulose. These controlled release vehicles can be stored in dry or dehydrated form so that they are not activated until hydration. In certain instances, the entrapping vehicle is distinct from the release agent, e.g., the cellulose degrading enzyme can be carried on a separate particle or be added later to activate the system.
Controlled release vehicles have been available for many years. There are two general types of controlled release vehicles: those that release the entrapped material by some type of sieving mechanism through a series of pores, and those that release the materials upon degradation of the vehicle. The first class of controlled release vehicles include microcapsules and other vehicles which have a porous shell surrounding a substantially amorphous center. Release of the entrapped molecules takes place via diffusion or flow through the pores perforating the shell until they are released. Control of release is achieved by modification of the pore size and shell thickness so as to limit the particle size which can traverse the membrane easily, thereby controlling the time of traverse.
The second class of controlled release vehicles are those that degrade to release the material. Although some microcapsules also belong to this category, this class is primarily concerned with vehicles such as liposomes or some other type of biodegradable material which can be cleaved by a molecule, e.g., an enzyme. The vehicles are particularly useful for injection or ingestion where enzymes in the blood stream, the implantation site, or the gastrointestinal tract can degrade the vehicle in the host. For example, most phospholipids are susceptible to phospholipases and other enzymes which attack lipids. Other systems are made of materials such as alginates or gelatin which are degraded by sugar-reactive enzymes or proteases. These degradable vehicles may entrap the molecule of interest but, more normally, the molecule to be released is bound, either chemically or ionically, to the material forming the vehicle. Upon break-up of the vehicles, the bound material is released from the vehicle material, and the controlled release is achieved by the strength of the bond and the location where the material is bound. If a shell-like vehicle is used, e.g., a microcapsule or unilamellar lipid vesicle, degradation of the wall structure will cause immediate release of all the material entrapped inside. Controlled release in that circumstance can only be achieved by controlling the duration of the breakdown. In order to achieve true controlled release, a mixture of a variety of vehicles having different breakdown rates can be used in the same sample.
While either the shell-type or the breakdown vehicle could be used in certain circumstances, each type of vehicle has attendant problems. The shell-type vehicle normally requires an aqueous environment since such vehicles are susceptible to degradation upon drying. While certain of the breakdown-type vehicles can be used in a dry form, they normally require a host or some other added material which breaks down the structure to operate. Further, the breakdown-type vehicle is normally not easy to control in terms of release rate.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a controlled release vehicle which can be used in a dehydrated form and is activated only upon hydration.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of producing a controlled release vehicle which can be used in dehydrated form.
A further object of the invention is to provide a system which has a vehicle-type carrier and a separate release agent in dehydrated form which, upon hydration, degrades the vehicle and releases an entrapped molecule.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle which traps and releases the enzymes upon hydration.
These and other objects and features of the invention will apparent from the following description.